Rabbi Yehuda says in the name of ben Patiri, behold, it says (Job 27:2), "By the life of God, who turned aside from my justice, etc.," to teach you that a human being should never take a vow on the life of the King unless he loves the King. From this Rabbi Natan says, behold, it says (Job 13:16), "This too shall be my salvation, [that a godless person not come before Him.]" Rebbi says, [regarding Job,] it is said (Job 1:1), "God-fearing," and regarding Abraham it is said (Gen 22:12), "God-fearing." Regarding Job, just it is said "God-fearing," and regarding Abraham he acted with love even though he was God-fearing, so too with Job he acted with love even though he was God-fearing. And the rest of the murmurings (תַרְעוֹמוֹת) spoken of in that parasha were only spoken from within that fear [of God].

Rabbi Akiva expounded: At the time that Israel went up from the sea, they wanted to sing, and the Divine Spirit came to them and they sang. How?  They sang it like the Hallel HaGadol (Psalm 136) is sung in synagogues- the leader sings, and everyone else responds.  Moshe said "I will sing to Adonai!", and Israel responded "I will sing to Adonai!".  Moses said "God is my strength and my salvation!" and Israel responded, "I will sing to Adonai!".  Moses said "Adonai is a Warrior!" and Israel said "I will sing to Adonai!".  Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosi HaGalili said: It's like a kid who reads the Hallel in a school- the leader says it, and the child responds afterwards with each and every word. Moses said, "I will sing to Adonai!", and Israel said "I will sing to Adonai!"   Moses said, "God is my strength and my salvation!" and Israel responded, "God is my strength and my salvation!" etc. Rabbi Nechemiah said: It was like the way people read Sh'ma in synagogues, as it says, "Thus sang Moshe and the Children of Israel, etc." [It was that] Moshe opened with a phrase, and Israel answered after him and completed it with him. Moshe said "Thus sang..." and Israel responded "I will sing to Adonai, for God has triumphed gloriously!"  Moshe said "God is my strength and my salvation" and Israel responded "This is my God, Whom I will glorify!" Moshe said, "Adonai is a Warrior!" and Israel said "Adonai is God's Name!" etc. Rabbi Yosei HaGalili says, as soon as Israel ascended from the sea and saw their enemies, [their] dead bodies cast out upon the shore, all of them resolved to sing [a song of gratitude]. [Even] a baby lying on its mother's lap [or an infant nursing from its mother's breast], as soon they saw the Divine Presence, the baby straightened its neck, and the infant dropped its mother's breast from its mouth, and they all responded in song, and they said, "This is my God and I will glorify Him" (Ex. 15:2). Rabbi Meir says, from where is it derived that even fetuses in their mother's womb recited the song? As it is said (Ps. 68:27), "In full assemblies, bless God, the Lord, you that are from the source of Israel" (Sot. 31a:1 (Steinsaltz tr.). And that the infant dropped its mother's breast and recited the song? As it is said (Ps. 8:3), "From the mouths of babes and sucklings [You have found strength]."

Said Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai: There were four matters that Rabbi Akiva expounded upon [midrashically], but I prefer my own words to his. Rabbi Akiva expounded (Gen 21:9), "And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian that she bore to Abraham m'tzachek (lit., 'laughing' or 'sporting')." Laughter is not what is being spoken of here; rather, idol worship, as it is said [during the sin of the golden calf] (Ex. 32:6), "And the people sat down to eat and drink, and [then] they arose to sport (l'tzachek)." It teaches that our Matriarch Sarah saw Ishmael building high places and hunting for locusts, and offering it up and turning it into smoke for idol worship. Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Rabbi Yosei HaGalili says, laughter (tzachok) is not spoken of here; rather sexual immorality, as it is said [in the matter of Potiphar's wife] (Gen 39:17), "The [Hebrew] servant came to me, etc., to sport (l'tzachek) with me." It teaches that our Matriarch Sarah saw Ishmael trampling the gardens and afflicting the women. Rabbi Yishmael says, the word tzachok means nothing other than the spilling of blood, as it is said (2 Sam. 2:14-16), "And Abner said to Joab, 'Let the young men arise and sport (visachaku) before us', etc. And they got up and they were counted by number, etc. And each man grabbed his neighbor by the head and [stuck] his sword into his neighbor's side, and they fell together." It teaches that our Matriarch Sarah was seeing Ishmael taking a bow and arrow and shooting them toward Isaac [as though in sport], as it is said (Prov. 26:19-20, JPS tr.), "Like a madman scattering deadly firebrands, arrows, is one who cheats his fellow and says, 'I was only joking.'" And I say, God forbid that there would be such things occurring in the house of this same tzaddik (i.e., Abraham)! Is it possible that the one for whom it is said (Gen. 18:19), "For I have known him in order that he command [his sons and his household after him, that they shall heed the path of God, to perform righteousness and justice]," that there would be idol worship, sexual immorality, and the spilling of blood in his household?! Rather, "tzachok" is only mentioned here in connection with inheritance, for from the time that our Patriarch Isaac was born to our Patriarch Abraham, everyone was joyous, and they said, "A son is born to Abraham! A son is born to Abraham! He shall inherit eternity, and he shall take a two portions." And Ishmael laughed to himself, and he said, "Don't be foolish! Don't be foolish! I am the first-born and I will take two portions." Then, at the conclusion of the matter, you learn, as it is said (Gen. 21:10), "for the son of this maidservant [shall not inherit with my son, with Isaac]." And I prefer my words to the words of Rabbi Akiva.

Rabbi Akiva expounded (Num. 11:22), "Are there flocks and herds to be slaughtered for them, u'matza (וּמָצָ֥א) for them?" [What is the meaning of "u'matza"?] Would it really suffice for them? "Or are there all the fish of the sea [to be gathered for them u'matza for them]?" [Here too, u'matza means,] would it really suffice for them? For example, as it says (Lev. 12:8), "And if her means do not suffice (tim'tzah) for a sheep[, she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons]." And what was worse, this (i.e., "Are there [enough] flocks?") or (Num. 20:10), "Hear now, you rebels!"* Certainly this utterance was worse than "Hear now, you rebels!" Rather, when one desecrates the Name of the Heavens privately, they spare him, but [when one desecrates God] in public, they exact punishment upon him. This (i.e., the first episode), which was in private, the Place spared him. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says, even this [episode] which occurred in private, the Place did not spare him, as it is said (Num. 11:23), "Now you will see whether my word comes to pass, or not." And I say, God forbid that it would enter the mind of that righteous man, that he would say, "The Place does not suffice for us and for our livestock." Is it possible for he about whom it is said (Num. 12:6-7), "Not so my servant, Moses[, in all my house he is trusted]," that it would enter his mind to say, "The Place does not suffice for us and for our livestock"? And moreover, when the Children of Israel were in Egypt, did the Nile River really have [enough] fish to suffice both for them and for the Egyptians (see Num. 11:5), and were there really [enough] livestock in Egypt to suffice both for them and for the Egyptians? Rather, this only refers to the matter, as it is said (Num. 11:19-20), "Not [just] for one day will you eat it, etc., but [rather] for a month of days...." Said Moses before the Holy One Blessed be He, "Master of the Universe, is it fitting that you give [all this] to them and then kill them? Do we say to a person, 'Take this loaf of bread and descend to Sheol?' Do we say to a donkey, 'Take this kor of barley and then we will chop off your head?' For they should not say about me and about you, "The meat did not suffice (motzeit)."*) from them" (אֵין־בְּשׂוֹרָ֥ה מֹצֵֽאת) (2 Sam. 18:22) (see MS Erfurt, Minchat Bikkurim, Lieberman). He said to him, "And is it fitting for them to say, 'The Place does not have enough to give us and our livestock?' Rather, those [who said this] should perish and a thousand more like them. But do not shorten your hand before me for even an hour, as it is said (Num. 11:23), "And God said to Moses, is the hand of God too short, etc.?" Rabban Gamaliel the son of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says, "It is impossible to stand against their frivolous ways. If you give them the meat of large livestock, they will say, 'We asked for the meat of small livestock!' If you give them the meat of small livestock, they will say 'We asked for the meat of wild animals and poultry!' If you give them the the meat of a wild animals and poultry, they will say, We asked for the flesh of fish and locusts!'" As it is said, "Are there flocks and herds to be slaughtered for them?" Whereupon the Holy Spirit answered him, "Now you will see whether my word comes to pass, or not." And I prefer my words to the words of Rabbi Akiva.

Rabbi Akiva expounded, behold it says (Ez. 33:24), "Son of man, those who reside in these ruins [of the Land of Israel], etc."* And are these words not a kol v'chomer (logical deduction)? Since Abraham, who served only one God, inherited the Land, does it not follow that we, who serve many gods, should also inherit the Land?

[Alternatively,] Rabbi Nehemiah says, [those residing in the Land of Israel argued as follows:] Since Abraham, who only had one son and offered him up, inherited the Land, does it not follow that we, who have sons as well as daughters offering up sacrifices for idolatry, should also inherit the Land? [Alternatively,] Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Yosei HaGalili says, [those residing in the Land argued as follows:] Since Abraham, who had no one to depend on (במי לתלות), inherited the Land, does it not follow that we, who have [many] to depend on, should also inherit the Land? And I (Rabbi Shimon) say, [those residing in the Land argued as follows:] Since Abraham, who was only given one commandment to perform, inherited the Land, does it not follow that we, who have been given all the commandments to perform, should inherit the land? You should know that this is also apparent from the answer given by the prophet, as you may infer, as it is said (Jer. 33:25-26), "Thus said the Lord, with the blood you have eaten, etc." and "You have relied on your sword, etc." "With the blood you have eaten" -- that is a limb from a live animal. "You raise your eyes to your idols" -- that is the worship of the stars. "And blood you have spilled" -- that is the spilling of blood (i.e., murder). "You have relied on your sword" -- that is the delay in executing justice, and thievery. "You have committed abominations" -- that is sexual relations with [another] male. "You have defiled your neighbor's wife" -- that is the uncovering of nakedness (i.e., sexual immorality). And are these words not a kal v'chomer? For the Children of Noah did not perform the seven commandments which were commanded to them before [they were dispossessed of the land]; how can you thus say, "Let us inherit the Land" (i.e., when you have failed to perform so many more commandments)? And I prefer my words to the words of Rabbi Akiva.

Rabbi Akiva expounded, behold, it says (Zech. 8:19), "Thus said the Lord, the fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth [shall be for the House of Judah for joy and for happiness]." The "fast of the fourth" -- that is the 17th of Tammuz, on which the city was breached. And why is its name called "fourth"? Because it is the fourth of the months (i.e., starting with Nissan). The "fast of the fifth" -- that is the 9th of Av, the day that the Holy Temple was burned. And why is its named called "fifth"? Because it is the fifth month. The "fast of the seventh" -- that is the 3rd of Tishrei, the day that Gedaliah ben Achikam was killed, that Ishmael ben Nethaniah killed him, to teach you that the deaths of the righteous are just as difficult before the Place as the destruction of the Holy Temple. And why is its named called "seventh"? Because it is in the seventh month. The "fast of the tenth" -- that is the 10th of Tevet, the day in which the King of Babylonia placed his hand on Jerusalem, as it is said (Ez. 24:1-2), "And the word of God came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, [on the 10th of the month]: 'Son of Man, write down [this date], etc." And I say, the fast of the tenth, that is the 5th of Tevet, in which the report reached the children of the exile, as it is said (Ez. 33:21), "And it was in the twelfth year, on the tenth [month], on the fifth of the month, a fugitive from Jerusalem came to me [saying, 'The city has fallen.']" When they heard [the report], they made the day of hearing like the day of the burning [of the Temple]. And is it not proper to write of the first [events first]? And why is [the hearing of the report] written last? So as to order the months in accordance with their [historical] order (i.e., the destruction preceding the news reaching Babylonia). And I prefer my words to the words of Rabbi Akiva, for Rabbi Akiva speaks about first things last, and about last things first, and I speak about first things first, and about last things last.